DAILY DIRT: Phillies look like best team in MLB at All-Star Break

Will the Cardinals win the NL Central? Don’t fret, it doesn’t matter … Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 1,006 of The Daily Dirt.

1. We’ve reached the MLB All-Star Break.

So what teams have realistic chances of reaching the World Series in a little more than three months? 

First, let’s look at the senior circuit:

National League

Excellent chance

Philadelphia: Right now, there’s no team better than the Phillies, who spent their free-agent money wisely. It’s a club with no glaring weaknesses — none. Its biggest strength is that one-two punch at the top of its rotation in Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola. Barring injuries, the Phillies will be playing deep into the postseason.

They’ve got a chance

Los Angeles: Let’s be honest. If the Dodgers do not reach the World Series the season will be a total failure. Granted, injuries to so many front-line starting pitchers have been tough breaks, but those are all part of the game and every club has to deal with them. If you’ve got the best player on the planet (Shohei Ohtani) and you’re watching the World Series on TV it could be an interesting postseason. I was surprised last winter when the Dodgers brought Dave Roberts back as manager, and though it’s not his fault virtually every Los Angeles starting pitcher has come up lame, the team may simply need a new voice in 2025.

Dark horses

Whoever wins the Central Division: I’m assuming Milwaukee will eventually hang on ahead of St. Louis, but does it really doesn’t matter. The Central champ will be ousted in the first round of the playoffs.

San Diego: I keep waiting for the Padres to rattle off 10 straight wins or something impressive, but it’s not going to happen. While I would love to see Fernando Tatis in the postseason, this team at best is slightly above average.

Atlanta: Here’s another team whose rotation has imploded more than it has excelled. The Braves, who play in the same division as Philadelphia, know the Phillies are better — and so do we.

In the other league, things are bit more wide open:

American League

Excellent chance

Baltimore/New York: Maybe “best,” rather than “excellent” would be advised at this point. I think whoever comes out of the American League East will be favored to win the pennant. Both Baltimore and New York are a cut above the rest of the league, mostly because of their balance. The key player in all of this might be Gerrit Cole, and whether or not he’s back to his old self come the postseason.

They’ve got a chance

Seattle: The Mariners have a dynamite pitching staff and a dime-store offense. Pitching makes the most waves in the postseason, but a team has to score SOME runs. If Seattle’s batting order would (somehow) catch fire, its arms have the ability to quiet the bats of both Baltimore and New York. Make no mistake, any of MLB’s other 29 teams would love to have a rotation that includes George Kirby, Luis Castillo and Logan Gilbert.

Dark horses

Houston: The Astros are coming, and coming fast. Somehow, they keep coming up with quality starting arms. More power to them.

Cleveland: The Guardians’ rotation is in shambles, and the chances of acquiring a big arm before the trade deadline are minimal at best. That’s what happens when ownership enters the season with the third-lowest payroll in MLB. The Guardians have been a great story, and Steven Vogt HAS to be manager of the year, but they’ll be one-and-done in October unless the front office is willing to blow the cobwebs off its collective wallet.

Minnesota: The Twins are in much the same shape as their Central Division rival in Cleveland. There are not enough quality arms between BOTH of those teams to have a solid starting five at the moment. 

2. Did you know (Part 65)

• That Danny DeVito’s role of The Penguin in “Batman Returns” was originally supposed to be played by Marlon Brando. The original choice for Catwoman was Annette Bening, but the role went to Michelle Pfeiffer.
• That Ethan Hawke was originally scheduled to play the Caped Crusader in “Batman Forever,” but the role wound up going to Val Kilmer, and Jim Carrey was not the first choice for “The Riddler” — it was Robin Williams.
• That before George Clooney was cast as Batman in “Batman and Robin,” the choice was David Duchovny.
• That the Houston Astros earlier this week handed out a bobblehead of second baseman Jose Altuve riding a bicycle — because he recently hit for the (get ready for it … ) the cycle!

3. I’ve always enjoyed eating cereal right out of the box.

My all-time favorite cereal/snack was Frosted Flakes — which I basically disowned a few years ago when Kellogg’s opted to reduce the amount of sugar it used on the flakes. Today’s version of Frosted Flakes tastes little different than a box of Kellogg’s Corn Flakes. And for the record, I have never forgiven Kellogg’s for ruining the best cereal of all-time.

While Frosted Flakes have not been “discontinued,” they might as well have been. I’ll never buy another box.

The following cereals, however, found their shelf lives officially terminated in recent years. Have you missed any of them?

• “Green Slime,” discontinued in 2003.
• “Hunny B’s,” discontinued in 2004.
• “Dino Pebbles,” discontinued in 1993:
• “Donkey Kong,” discontinued in 1989:
• “Nerds,” discontinued in 1986:
• “Mr. T,” discontinued in 1993.
• “Kaboom,” discontinued in 2010.
• “Smorz,” discontinued in 2013.
• “Chocolaty Crunch,” discontinued in 2016.
• “Nesquik,” discontinued in 2012.
• “Pac Man,” discontinued in 1988.
• “Sprinkle Spangles,” discontinued in 1998.
• “Freakies,” discontinued in 1976.
• “Dunkin’ Donuts Cereal,” discontinued late 1980s.
• “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” discontinued in 1995.
• “WWF Superstars,” discontinued in early 1990s.

Steve Thought O’ The Day — One more Batman note: The sequel to “Batman and Robin” was supposed to be a movie entitled “Batman Triumphant,” with Clooney returning to the lead role, Jeff Goldblum as Scarecrow and Madonna as Harley Quinn. Alas, “Batman and Robin” underperformed at the box office and plans for “Batman Triumphant” were shelved.

Steve Eighinger writes daily for Muddy River News. I know of Steve’s disdain for Keaton-Batman, but he towers above Kilmer and Clooney in the role. His return in “The Flash” sealed that. Affleck is the Bat-GOAT, with apologies to Bale, who is 1A.